Paper monthly, and as an even greater
concession to age he was allowed to make friends with several boys in
Carlington Road, some of whom were already scholars of St. James'
Preparatory School and one of whom actually had a brother at St. James'
School itself, that gigantic red building whose gates Michael himself
would enter of right one day, however difficult at present this was to
believe.

What with the prospect of going to school in the autumn and Miss
Carthew's tales of freedom and naval life, Michael began to disapprove
more than ever of Nurse's manners and appearance. He did not at all
relish the notion of passing away the summer holidays in her society. To
be sure, for the end of the time he had been invited by Mrs. Carthew's
own thin writing to spend a week with her in Hampshire; but that was at
least a month away, and meanwhile there was this month to be endured
with Nurse at Mr. and Mrs. Wagland's lodgings, where the harmonium was
played and conversation was carried on by whispers and the mysterious
nods of three heads. However, the beginning of August arrived, and Miss
Carthew said good-bye for a month. Wooden spades, still gritty with last
year's sand, were produced from the farthest corners of cupboards:
mouldy shrimping nets and dirtied buckets and canvas shoes lay about on
the bed, and at last, huddled in paraphernalia, Nurse and Stella and
Michael jogged along to the railway station, a miserable hour for
Michael, who all the time was dreading many unfortunate events, as for
the cabman to get down from his box and quarrel about the fare, or for
the train to be full, or for Stella to be sick during the journey, or
for him and her to lose Nurse, or for all of them to get into the wrong
train, or for a railway accident to happen, or for any of the
uncomfortable contingencies to which seaside travellers were liable.

During these holidays Michael grew more and more deeply ashamed of
Nurse, and more and more acutely sensitive to her manners and
appearance. He was afraid that people on the front would mistake him and
Stella for her children. He grew hot with shame when he fancied that
people looked at him. He used to loiter behind on their walks and
pretend that he did not belong to Nurse, and hope sincerely that nobody
would think of connecting him with such an ugly old woman. He had heard
much talk of 'ladies and gentlemen' at the Kindergarten, and since then
Miss Carthew had indirectly confirmed his supp